This invention relates to a passenger seat assembly, such as for use in a commercial aircraft, which is convertible between a three seat and a two seat configuration. This type of convertability permits airlines to quickly change the seat configuration to more closely match passenger mix and schedule changes. Changes in the airline industry have made quick turnaround time between flights of increasing importance. Because of financial losses, many airlines have cancelled or delayed new aircraft orders. Existing aircraft must be more quickly turned around between flights. In situations where seat configuration changes are needed, the ability to convert a seat between coach or economy class and business class configurations saves substantial time over replacement of an entire seat assembly, which generally requires the aircraft to be out of service at least overnight, and to be serviced by ground staff personnel.
Conventional aircraft seat assemblies are generally formed of two or more seats attached to a unifying frame which is in turn locked into a seating track in the floor of the aircraft. These seats are usually fixed onto the frame in such as way as to prevent adjustments to the width of the seat itself or to the spacing between adjacent seats on the assembly.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,178,345; 5,131,607; 5,104,065 and 4,881,702, all owned by the Boeing Company, disclose convertible seats, some of which alter the configuration of two-seat assemblies and three-seat assemblies, and others of which convert seat assemblies between two and three seats. Applicant""s U.S. Pat. No. 5,597,139 also discloses a prior art manner of converting a three seat passenger seat set to a two seat passenger seat set suitable for use in a business class area of a passenger aircraft.
The convertible seat assembly disclosed in this application permits quick and simple conversion between two and three seats in a passenger seat by flight personnel between flights. More generally, the convertible seat assembly disclosed in this application permits quick and simple conversion between a seat set having any number of seats, wherein at least some of the inboard seats are converted to a buffer between adjacent seats, and accommodate a tray table for use by the occupants of the seats adjacent the buffer. The seat assembly is designed so that the transition features and the mechanisms for effecting the conversion are transparent to the occupant and positioned for access only by aircraft ground crews.
Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide a passenger seat convertible between two and three seats.
It is another object of the invention to provide a passenger seat which permits quick conversion of economy seats to business-class seats.
It is another object of the invention to provide a passenger seat which is convertible between coach and business class seats.
It is another object of the invention to provide a passenger seat assembly which permits the center seat to be converted to a tray table.
These and other objects of the present invention are achieved in the preferred embodiments disclosed below by providing a passenger seat assembly convertible between a two-seat configuration and a three-seat configuration, comprising a seat assembly base and first, second and third seats for carrying respective seat bottom and seat back cushions, the first and third seats defining outboard seats and the second seat defining a center seat. First and second armrests are mounted between the first and third outboard seats on opposing sides of the center seat and are moveable between an upright use position and a retracted storage position above the seat bottom of the center seat. A tray table is mounted for movement between a raised retracted position wherein a bottom surface of the tray table defines at least a portion of the seat back of the center seat, and a lowered use position wherein the tray table resides above the seat bottom of the center seat to provide additional seating space and a tray table for the occupants of the outboard seats.
According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, the seat back of the center seat includes a headrest moveable between a headrest use position in lateral alignment with headrest portions of the backrests of the outboard seats and a lowered tray table use position aft of the tray table.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the seat back of the center seat includes a headrest pivotable between a raised headrest use position in lateral alignment with headrest portions of the backrests of the outboard seats and a lowered tray table use position aft of the tray table.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the tray table is pivotally mounted for movement between the raised retracted position and the lowered use position.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the tray table comprises a single tray table surface sufficiently wide to be useable by occupants of both outboard seats as an inboard arm support and as a table for personal, food and beverage items.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, a passenger seat assembly is provided and is convertible between a two-seat configuration and a three-seat configuration, and comprises a seat assembly base, first, second and third seats for carrying respective seat bottom and seat back cushions, the first and third seats defining outboard seats and the second seat defining a center seat. First and second armrests are pivotably mounted between the first and third outboard seats on opposing sides of the center seat and are moveable between an upright use position and a retracted storage position above the seat bottom of the center seat. A tray table is mounted for movement between a raised retracted position wherein a bottom surface of the tray table defines a lower portion of the seat back of the center seat, and a lowered use position between the first and third outboard seats. The seat back of the center seat includes a headrest pivotable between a headrest use position in lateral alignment with headrest portions of the backrests of the outboard seats and a lowered tray table use position aft of the tray table.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, a passenger seat assembly is provided and is convertible between a coach class configuration with an armrest between each of a plurality of inboard seats, and a business class configuration. The seat assembly comprises a seat assembly base and at least first, second and third seats for carrying respective seat bottom and seat back cushions. Two of the seats define outboard seats and each remaining seat defines a respective inboard seat. Armrests are mounted on respective inboard sides of the outboard seats and on respective opposing sides of each inboard seat and are moveable between an upright use position and a retracted storage position above the seat bottom of the inboard seat to which a respective armrest is adjacent. A tray table is carried by at least one inboard seat and is mounted for movement between a retracted position wherein a bottom surface of the tray table defines at least a portion of the seat back of a respective inboard seat, and a use position between adjacent inboard or outboard seats.
An embodiment of the method of converting a passenger seat assembly between a two-seat configuration and a three-seat configuration according to the invention comprises the steps of providing a seat assembly base and first, second and third seats for carrying respective seat bottom and seat back cushions. The first and third seats define outboard seats and the second seat defines a center seat. First and second armrests are mounted between the first and third outboard seats on opposing sides of the center seat and are moveable between an upright use position and a retracted storage position above the seat bottom of the center. A tray table is mounted for movement between a raised retracted position wherein a bottom surface of the tray table defines at least a portion of the seat back of the center seat, and a lowered use position wherein the tray table resides above the seat bottom of the center seat to provide additional seating space and a tray table for the occupants of the outboard seats. When the seat assembly is desired to be in the three seat configuration, the armrests are moved to the upright use position and the tray table is raised into the position defining at least a portion of the seat back of the center seat. When the seat assembly is desired to be in the two seat configuration, the armrests are moved to the retracted storage position and the tray table is lowered into the use position above the seat bottom of the center seat.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the method includes the step of pivoting a head rest portion of the center seat downwardly into a position aft of the tray table when the tray table is in its use position.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, a method of converting a passenger seat assembly convertible between a coach class configuration with an armrest between each of a plurality of inboard seats, and a business class configuration comprises the steps of providing a seat assembly base and at least first, second and third seats for carrying respective seat bottom and seat back cushions. Two of the seats define outboard seats and each remaining seat define a respective inboard seat. Armrests are mounted on respective inboard sides of the outboard seats and on respective opposing sides of each inboard seat and are moveable between an upright use position and a retracted storage position above the seat bottom of the inboard seat to which a respective armrest is adjacent. A tray table is carried by at least one inboard seat and mounted for movement between a retracted position wherein a bottom surface of the tray table defines at least a portion of the seat back of a respective inboard seat, and a use position between adjacent inboard or outboard seats. When the seat assembly is desired to be in the coach class configuration the armrests are moved to the upright use position and the tray table is raised into the position defining at least a portion of the seat back of the center seat. When the seat assembly is desired to be in the business class configuration, the armrests are moved to the retracted storage position and the tray table is lowered into the use position above the seat bottom of the center seat.